Multicolor pencil with exchangeable leads



sept. 1o, 1940. w.. SCHWEGLITZ 'Lm-,111

MuLTooLoR PENCIL wml EXCHANGEABLE LEADS A Filed sept. 1 5, 1939 3 v g3 I 'Irgz]v :Jr-4

. l? .2 36 1 27 I4 f Il 3 y 159.8 EN M18' 19- l I l A; Aitorney Patented Sept. 10, 1940 PATENT OFFICE MULTIOOLOR PENCIL WITH EXCHANGE- ABLE LEADS Willy Schmieglita, Berlin, Germany .lippumionsepmber 15, 1939, sei-1.1 No. 295,066

. In Germany September 14, 1938 s claims. (c1. 1z0-14) This invention relates to a multicolor pencil with exchangeable leads. A

Multicolor pencils of this type are already known. They are generally constructed so that l every one of the colored leads to be actuated singly is shiitable in the longitudinal direction by means oi an actuating element projecting from the casing in lateral direction. These known multicolor pencils are open to the objection that l. a separate actuating element is necessary for each lead and that these actuating elements slightly project from the pencil casing, this being especially undesirable ii the actuating elements are not absolutely smooth but, for instance, 1l beaded or serrated to iacilitatehandling of the same because thereby the diameter of the multicolor pencil is slightly enlarged.

These inconveniences of the known multicolor pencils are avoided according to the invention in so that the leads are no longer pushed but pressed, by this is meant that the longitudinal shifting of the leads is produced by depressing once'or several times a press pin or press sleeve in the rear end of the casing. Magazine pencils tobe actuated by pressure are known, but it is believed to be new to use a press sleeve for multicolor pencils, vthe particulary construction which becomes necessary therefore being also new.

Two embodiments of the invention are illusn trated by way of example in the accompanying Y drawing, in which Fig. 1 shows a. multicolor pencil in elevation, Fig. 2 shows this multicolor pencil in`longitudinal section,

Y Fig. 3 shows in longitudinal'section the sta` Fig. `9 is a cross-section on line IX-IX of a- F18. 6, l 4

Fig. 10 showsone of. the resilient lead holders mounted in the grooves of the rod shown in Fig. 11 shows in elevation the internal parts '50 of the multicolor pencil according to a-second form of construction,

Fig. 12 shows in longitudinal section the stationary tube shown in Fig. 1l, and

. Fig. 13 shows in longitudinal section the shiftu able tube also shown inv Fig. 1l.

The multicolorpencil according to the ilrst form of construction consists of a casing I,` a point 2 screwed on the iront end of the casing and an insertable abutment piece 3 at the rear end of the casing and in which abutment piecel 5 a press-sleeve ,4 is provided. In the casing I a resilient element 5 is arranged which consists of a tube i and ci a tube 1 connected the one with the other by two blade springs 8 and 9V so that `tube 6 can be shifted relative to tube l. The up- 10 and has a slot It. Both of these oblong holesl are .of similar length. The rivets IG and I2 extendl5 ing through the slots I I, I3 respectively limit the shifting movement of the tubes 6, l. The front' end of the blade springs 8 and 9 are downwardly curved towards the interior of tube 'Il and destined to come into engagement with an-element m of the lead holder which will be described hereinaiter. p

The tube 'I has a slot Il extending from its front end which `slot is slightly wider' than the blade' springs so that the curved end of these g5 blade springs project through this slot. A ring I5 is placed around tube C to serve as abutment for the abutment piece 3 to -be inserted into the casing' I. This ring II is open in the upper side to accommodate the blade springs 8 and 9. The o tube 6 has near its rear end a projection I6 serving as stopfor the lpress sleeve 4 which has a slit I1 in its iront end corresponding to this projection II.- In this manner turning o! the press sleeve Il relative to the resilient element a5 5 is prevented, so that this element 5 must participate in any turning movement o1' the press sleeve l. A spiral spring 2l is arranged between the two tubes 8 and l and has the tendency to maintain these tubes in their extreme separated position. A rod Il extends through the element, 5 and has as many grooves I9 as there are colored leads, for instance, as shown, vfour such grooves. The portion of the grooved rod i8 which is guided in the resilient element 5 is of circular cross-sec- 5 tion, as shown in Fig. 7, which is a section on line VII- VII of Fig. 6. The next following portion oi' the rod IB is of square crosssection,as shown in Fig. 8, which is a section on line VIII-.- VIIIof Fig. 6, and the front portion is again of 50 circular cross-section, as shown in Fig. 9, which is a cross-section on line IX-IX of Fig. 6.

A ring-2| is mounted atthe middle of the llength of the grooved rod I8 which extends up to this ring through the resilient element I, said 55 ring vserving as 'abutment for this resilient lelement. 'I'he grooved rod l'has at its front end a collar sleeve 22, as shown in Figs. 2, 6 and 9. A resilient lead holder 23 (Fig. 10) is mounted in each of the grooves I9 of rod I8. This lead holder consists of a wire having a holder 24 at one end and a portion 25 serrated like a saw blade at the other end. The resilient lead holders 23 are placed in the grooves of rod I8 so that the tubular holders 24 project from the collar 22, the remaining portons23 to 25 being located in the grooved rod I8. A nose 26 on the front to be exerted upon the press sleeve 4.

of the press sleeve 4 is pushed over the projection end of the serrated portion 25 bears against the front side of ring 2|. A spring 21 arranged be'- tween collar 22 and noses 26 of the lead holders 23 serves to hold all the lead holders in the normal position shown in Fig. 2. The..bent front ends of the two blade springs 8 and 9 engage in the serrated portion 25-of one of the lead holders at that portion of the grooved rod which is of square cross-section.

In the normal position the elements are in the position shown in Fig. 2. If a colored lead has to be moved forward so that it projects from thel point 2=-j of the multicolor pencil, a pressure has As slit I1 I8 this press sleeve is connected with the resilient element 5 and the pressure is transmitted to this element 5 'and upon to the grooved rod I8. The collar 22 bears, however, Vagainst a. shoulder 28 formed by the end of point 2, so that shifting of the grooved rod I8 cannot takeplace. Consequently, the tube 6 is shifted'to the left in compressing the spring `2li located between the tubes 6 and 1, the lower blade spring 9 participating in the movement of this tube. y

The pressing-in movement of sleeve 4 is limited by the abutment piece 3, and the movement of tube 6 and of blade spring 9 fixed on the same lis limited by the end of slot I3.V As the blade esprings 8 and `9 are coupled with the lead holder 23, through the serrated portion 25 of the same,

the movement of the blade spring 9 to the left is transmitted to the lead holder 2 3. This lead holder is therefore moved forward in the grooved lrod I8 in compressing the spring 21, as the nose 26 bearsv against this spring. When the press sleeve 4 is released this press sleeve and thev tube 6 with blade spring 9 are returned into their initial position by the action of spring 20. The blade spring 8, however, securely holds the'lead holder-23 in the adjusted position. By repeated depressing of the press sleeve 4 thedesired colored lead can -be moved to project from the point of the multicolor pencil owing to the said bladelike portion 25 of the lead holder 23, each time by the length of one tooth or of several teeth.

If the color lead, has to be returned into its initial position, the press sleeve 4 has to be turned in any-direction. `By the turning of the press sleeve 4, the resilient element 5 is drawn along so that the curvedfront ends of the blade springs 8 and 9 slip off the saw blade like portion 25 of the lead holder 23, this being facilitated by the square cross-section of .the grooved rod I8, and thespring 21 can thenshift the lead holder 23 to the right until its nose 254 bears against ring 2I. According to'whether the press sleeve 4 is turned back into its former position or into any other operative position, in accordance with marks .on the outer side ofthe abutment piece 3, either the same or any other color lead will be actuated at the next following depression of the press sleeve 4.

Aminimaler pencil.

13 diners from that which has just been described substantially in that the springs are not wound around the grooved rod but are freely located in the interior of the same and that fur- 5 ther the two tubes forming the gap partly overlap the one the other.

The tube 6a is offset towards the end of the A spring 9a is fixed on this tube 6a, and the freeend of spring 9a is tongueshaped and projects with a curved nose 9b through a slot 8b in the spring 8a fixed on the tube 1a. 'Ihe two blade springs are permanently in engagement with the corresponding serrated portion of the lead holder, as in the first form of 15 construction. -A considerable portion ofthe tube 1a is guided in the tube 8a and its end-bears against the spring 20. By a screw ring 22a on the `end of tube 1a and screwed into the casing of the multicolor pencil to securely hold the 20 whole mechanism and by an abutment on the other end, 'the tube 1a is prevented from, shifting on the grooved rod I8a. Owing to this arrangement a lead which is in the writing position is securely held and cannot be pushed back even if 25 its point is pressed strongly on to a paper. The grooved rod I8a has a bore I 8b which does not extend from one end to the other. In this bore the spring 21 is located, against which the noses of the lead holders bear. `In this form of construction the noses must evidently project inwards intothe bore Iiib. This bore I 8b is closed at the open end by a rubber stopper 29 which serves as shock damper for the suddenly returning lead and prevents breaking of the same.

, The manner of operation is similar to that of the multicolor pencil according to the first form of construction.

The invention is not limited to the forms of construction shown, as different alterations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A multicolor pencil, comprising in combination with the casing having a removable point, a press piece in the rear end of said casing, a resilient device inl said casing consisting of a rear shiftable tube, a stationary front tube and a compression spring between the tube, means for transmitting thev movement of said press piece upon said shiftable tube, a grooved rodv extending through said resilient device, lead holders one in each groove. of said rod and projecting from the front end of the stationary part of said Aresilient device, means for transmitting the movement of the shiftable tube of said resilient device to the corresponding lead holder, means for moving forward said shiftable tubular part accomfront tube with a wide slot extending rearwards from its front end, two blade springs placed the one on the other, the upper blade springha'ving a slot near its rear end and the lower blade spring having a slot at a short distance frornfits front end, a rivet fixing said lower blade spring on the shiftable, tube and projectinglthrough the slot in the upper blade spring, a rivetyconnecting the upl5 per blade spring with the stationary tube and extending through the slit in said lower. blade spring,

3. In a multicolor pencil as specified in claim 1,

`a grooved rod comprising a rear portion extending through the resilient device and of circular cross-section, a front portion also of circular cross-section, and a middle portion of square cross-section, a ring xedon said middle portion o! square cross-section and serving as abutment for the front end of the resilient device.

4. In a multicolor pencil as specified in claim 1, a ring fixed on the middle portion of the grooved rod, lead holders consisting of a wire and located one in each groove of the grooved rod, a sleevelike holder fixed at the iront end of each wire and projecting beyond the front end of the grooved rod, a serrated rear portion of said wire adapted to be engaged by the curved front ends of the blade springs of the resilient device, and an upwardly projecting nose on the front end of said serrated portion and bearing against the ring on said grooved rod.

5. In amulticolor pencil as specified in claim 1 in combination with the lead holders kin the grooved rod, having each a serrated portion and an upwardly projecting nose at the front end of this' serrated portion, a collar on the front end of the grooved rod, a spiral spring wound around said grooved rod and bearing with one end against said collar and with the other end against the noses of the serrated portions of the lead holders to secure said lead holders in their operative position.

' SCHMIEGLITZ. 

